Portland (8-12, 10-10 ATS) at Utah (13-8, 10-10 ATS)
The streaking Trailblazers shoot for their fourth consecutive win and cover when they visit Salt Lake City for a Northwest Division battle with the Jazz.
Portland has followed up a four-game losing skid with three straight wins by a total of nine points. On Sunday, the Blazers got past the visiting Bucks 117-113 in overtime, barely cashing as a 3½-point home chalk. Portland has averaged 111.7 points per game during its winning streak after tallying just 80.5 ppg during its four-game slide.
Utah returns home following a winless three-game road trip that ended with Saturday’s 125-117 loss at Dallas as a six-point underdog. The Jazz, who won 11 of their first 13 games before the most recent road trip, have failed to cover in four straight contests, which comes on the heels of a 5-1 ATS run.
The Jazz have won eight straight games at the EnergySolutions Arena (6-1-1 ATS) since losing their home-opener to Houston on Nov. 1.
Portland lost its first nine road games of the season before topping the Grizzlies 106-105 in Memphis in its most recent road contest eight days ago. The Blazers are 5-5 ATS on the highway.
The home team has won each of the last five meetings in this rivalry (4-1 ATS). Also the favorite is 9-4 in the past 13 series clashes, while Portland is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 visits to Salt Lake City.
The straight-up winner is 14-1 ATS in Utah’s last 15 contests and 8-2 ATS in the last 10 series meetings.
The over is 8-0 in Utah’s last eight overall, 20-8 in its last 28 divisional games, 3-0 in Portland’s last three and 6-3 in the last nine Jazz-Blazers battles.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UTAH and OVER
San Antonio (17-3, 13-7 ATS) at Golden State (11-9, 10-10 ATS)
The defending champion Spurs take a five-game SU and ATS winning streak west to Golden State for a showdown against the up-tempo Warriors.
San Antonio overcame the absence of injured All-Star forward Tim Duncan in its last two games, upending the Mavericks (97-95 as a 2½-point home underdog) and the Jazz (104-98 in a pick-em contest at home) on back-to-back nights Thursday and Friday. The Spurs, who have ripped off a pair of five-game winning streaks, a four-game winning streak and a three-game winning streak, are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 contests.
Golden State is coming off Sunday’s 123-113 loss at the Lakers as a three-point road underdog. The Warriors have followed up a 9-1 run (8-2 ATS) by splitting their last four contests (1-3 ATS).
San Antonio has owned the Warriors going back to Duncan’s rookie season, winning 32 of the last 36 meetings. Last year, the Spurs destroyed the Warriors three times, winning two home games by scores 129-89 and 112-99, plus a 126-89 rout at Oracle Arena. They cashed in all three games and are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings with Golden State.
The home team is 11-4 ATS In the last 15 series battles.
All three of San Antonio’s losses have come on the road, where Gregg Popovich’s club is 5-3 SU and 4-4 ATS.
The Warriors are 5-1 in their last six home games (4-2 ATS). Also, they have cashed in each of their last six games against teams from the Southwest Division.
For Golden State, the over is on runs of 8-2 at home and 7-3 against the Western Conference. Also, the over is 4-1 in San Antonio’s last five road games, 5-0 in the last five Spurs-Warriors battles and 9-1 in the last 10 series meetings in Golden State.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SAN ANTONIO and OVER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(24) St. Mary’s (7-0, 3-1 ATS)) at Southern Illinois (3-3, 2-4 ATS)
St. Mary’s, which cracked the Top 25 on Monday, takes its No. 24 ranking and a perfect record to Southern Illinois, where it hopes to hand the Salukis their third straight loss while also avenging last year’s home defeat to SIU.
The Gaels outlasted San Diego State 69-64 as a 3½-point favorite in Saturday’s John Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif. The five-point margin of victory was the slimmest so far for St. Mary’s, which is outscoring its foes by an average of 15 points per game (84-69).
Southern Illinois started the season with three straight wins (2-1 ATS), but has since dropped three in a row both SU and ATS, all as a favorite. On Saturday, the Salukis fell 71-56 at Charlotte as a 4½-point chalk.
The Salukis went to St. Mary’s last year and won 66-61 as a 3½-point favorite. They also topped the Gaels 65-56 as a two-point chalk in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
St. Mary’s is on ATS runs of 7-2 overall and 4-1 on the road.
Southern Illinois is just 4-11 ATS in its last 15 following a straight-up loss.
The under is 7-2 in Southern Illinois’ last nine games overall, 5-1 in its last six at home and 4-1 in the Gaels’ last five lined contests.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ST. MARY’S and UNDER
Cassell doubts he will be back for four-game trip
He had hoped to be back from strained calf injury for the next game, but he now acknowledges that was optimistic.
NEW YORK -- Sam Cassell was a wee bit optimistic.
The Clippers' veteran point guard, who sat out his sixth game Sunday with a strained calf sustained Nov. 26 against the Houston Rockets, had originally hoped to come back the next game.
Now, it's unlikely he will play on the team's four-game trip that starts tonight against the New Jersey Nets.
"I doubt it," Cassell said Monday. "I seriously doubt I can play on this road trip. I'm pushing to play, but I doubt it."
During the Clippers' previous trip, Cassell went to Houston to work with his personal trainer, trying to increase blood movement in the calf while strengthening the muscles surrounding it.
"It's getting there. It's getting there," Cassell repeated for emphasis, touching the calf. "It's not quite there yet.
"Once I can get my explosion back -- forward and backward -- that's when I know I'll be able to play ball."
Until then, he will have to wait as the Clippers look for a way to escape the long stretches of scoring droughts that have plagued them in recent games.
"This team looks for me to score points, especially in the fourth quarter and get guys open shots in the fourth quarter," Cassell said. "Right now, we are struggling scoring points. That's when I know I can get a basket."
Forward Tim Thomas said he was fine after suffering a bruised jaw in the third quarter against Miami on Sunday. Jostling for position under the rim in the third quarter, he caught an elbow from the Heat's Shaquille O'Neal.
"I was there in the way," Thomas said. "It wasn't intentional. It was just me having my face at the wrong place in the wrong time. I had a lot of pain, an instant headache. But it will be all right."
Rookie Al Thornton played only four minutes against the Heat, converting a three-point play on a layup over O'Neal.
He was quickly substituted after missing a defensive assignment that led to an easy Miami basket.
"Basically for us, when you are struggling and fighting for games to keep you in contention, you are going to be on a shorter leash," Coach Mike Dunleavy said. Sunday "was a time they kept it down to their guys who were savvy veterans and the other part was Corey [Maggette] was playing well in his matchup against Dorell Wright in the low post, that I couldn't give Al his minutes."
Dwyane Wade didn't dunk on Paul Davis like in a Gatorade commercial featuring the two, but he did compliment him afterward.
"Paul was a soldier for getting dunked on in the commercial," Wade said. "I wouldn't have done that. I respect him for doing that."
TONIGHT
at New Jersey, 4:30 PST, Ch. 5
Site -- Izod Center.
Radio -- 710.
Records -- Clippers 7-12, Nets 9-12.
Record vs. Nets (2006-07) -- 1-1.
Update -- Point guard Jason Kidd recently denied reports that he missed a game as a protest for not receiving a contract extension from the Nets, who have lost three games in a row.
latimes.com
Tuesday NBA Gameday
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:00pm ET
The Pacers will be looking to improve on their poor conference record when they take on the Cavs on Tuesday night. Indiana has won two of their past three and six of their past 10 games, and they're coming off a 115-109 road victory over the Magic. Granger led the way with 27 points against Orlando, while Jamaal Tinsley contributed 20 points.
Cleveland is hoping that LeBron James is able to return from his finger injury for this contest. The Cavs have lost five straight games with James out of the lineup, and they've fallen below the .500 mark on the season. Against the Bobcats on the road last time out the Cavaliers fell 96-93, with Larry Hughes contributing a team-high 22 points.
Los Angeles Clippers at New Jersey Nets, 7:30pm ET
The Clippers have lost eight of their past 10 games to sink to the bottom of the Pacific Division standings. Los Angeles has also lost four of their five games in the month of December, with their only win coming last Friday versus the Kings. Corey Maggette tossed in a team-high 24 points in the Clippers' 100-94 home loss to Miami on Sunday.
The Nets had Jason Kidd in the lineup on Sunday night, but they still fell 104-89 on the road to the Wizards. New Jersey has now lost three games in a row to sit at 9-12 on the season. Vince Carter led the Nets with a 30-point performance against Washington, while Bostjan Nachbar picked up 19 points and Kidd kicked in 13 points and 13 assists.
Detroit Pistons at Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00pm ET
Detroit continued their hot December with a 104-85 win over the Bobcats on Sunday night. The Pistons have won five of their six contests this month, and they're now 14-6 and in first place in the Central Division. Chauncey Billups picked up 20 points for the Pistons against Charlotte, while Antonio McDyess added 19 points and nine rebounds.
The Grizzlies have lost each of their past four games to sit with a 6-13 record on the season. Memphis last won on December 1, when they got past the lowly Timberwolves by a final score of 109-80. Last time out the Grizzlies got 17 points and 11 rebounds from Rudy Gay and a 13-10 effort from Pau Gasol in a 96-78 road loss to the Hawks.
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors, 10:30pm ET
The Spurs haven't had much trouble winning without Tim Duncan on the floor; the Western Conference's top team has won five straight games and nine of their past 10 contests. Duncan could return from his ankle injury on Tuesday. Manu Ginobili exploded for 37 points on Friday night as the Spurs rallied to a 104-98 home victory over the Jazz.
Golden State has been on a roll lately as well, climbing back over the .500 mark after slumping in the beginning of November. The Warriors, though, are coming off a 123-113 loss to the Lakers on the road on Sunday night. Baron Davis led the Warriors' attack with 20 points and seven assists in that defeat, while Stephen Jackson added 18 points.
Duncan a game-time decision
Two days off benefit Parker's sore ankles
Tim Duncan's sprained right ankle endured another full practice session without incident Monday, clearing the way for the Spurs' All-Star forward to play tonight at Golden State.
Officially, the team has deemed Duncan's availability to be a game-time decision. The Spurs will wait to see how he responds at this morning's shootaround in Oakland before making a final call.
If Duncan does indeed make his return against the Warriors, it will have been nine days since he injured his ankle in a Dec. 2 victory over Portland. He has missed just two games in that span.
Without him, the Spurs managed to beat a pair of Western Conference challengers — Dallas and Utah — and extend their franchise-record start to 17-3.
Those two Duncan-less victories — made possible by back-to-back 37-point nights from Manu Ginobili — gave rise to facetious speculation that maybe, just maybe, the Spurs don't need their two-time league MVP in order to succeed.
"No matter what you media guys say, I'm not jumping on that wagon," forward Bruce Bowen said Monday, playing along with the joke.
Through the first 18 games, Duncan averaged 17.6 points and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds. He is typically the centerpiece of the Spurs' offensive and defensive systems — coach Gregg Popovich typically refers to him as the team's "quarterback."
All kidding aside, Duncan's teammates are happily anticipating his return to uniform.
"That would be nice," point guard Tony Parker said. "He's been looking good in practice, so hopefully he can play."
Parker cools heels: The two days the Spurs took off since beating Utah on Friday seem to have done Parker's pair of sore ankles some good.
Though he wouldn't go so far as to declare himself 100 percent, Parker said he felt better Monday than when the Spurs last played.
Despite some lingering soreness, Parker says he's looking forward to tonight's game against the Warriors, one of the league's most up-tempo teams.
"That's why I'm happy for the two days off," he said, "because it's going to be a lot of running."
Check back in June: The Spurs are off to the best start in club history, winning 17 of their first 20 games. Twelve of those victories have come by a double-digit margin, and two of them have come with their best player, Duncan, sidelined.
Forgive the Spurs, however, if they aren't planning another river parade just yet.
"We've had bad starts in the past, and we've had good starts in the past," Popovich said. "Neither one is indicative of whether we won a championship."
mysanantonio.com